Chris Woakes showed his new-ball credentials with three early wickets in the rain-wrecked third T20I in Canberra
Reports of England’s white-ball demise appear to have been greatly exaggerated.
After failing to win a limited-overs series during the home summer, there were a few fears – externally more than internally, you feel – that they may struggle to contend at the T20 World Cup.
But any negativity has been replaced by a glow of optimism following successive T20I series victories in Pakistan and Australia. England have won their last four completed games in the format and that probably would have stretched to five if not for rain wrecking Friday’s closer in Canberra.
Just over a week to go until their World Cup opener, against Afghanistan in Perth, England have momentum and, perhaps more importantly, a strong notion of what their XI will be – but not everything is certain. There are still spots up for grabs, things for the decision-makers to ponder.
The T20 World Cup is coming! Watch every game live on Sky Sports from October 16, with England under way against Afghanistan on October 22
The T20 World Cup is coming! Watch every game live on Sky Sports from October 16, with England under way against Afghanistan on October 22
We can ink in the top three. Captain Jos Buttler, obviously, will open, having returned from a calf injury he picked up during The Hundred in August with two fifties in three games in the Australia series. Arguably the best white-ball batter in the world, Buttler is a lock as he goes into his first tournament with the added pressure of being captain, not just England’s gun player.
Alongside him, should be Alex Hales. His inclusion instead of Phil Salt for the first T20I in Australia suggested as such and he nailed down the berth with a 51-ball 84 in that game.
Two single-digit returns followed but that shouldn’t alter the thinking on a player who has plundered over 1,800 runs on Australian pitches in the Big Bash and who is eager to make up for lost time having seen his England career paused between mid-2019 and September of this year for, well, you know the reasons. He was not brought back to be back-up.
Malan a lock – but what about Stokes?
Then, at No 3 – unless England get off to a rollicking start and drop him down the order again – comes Dawid Malan. A man who continually delivers after being continually questioned.
Dawid Malan continues to silence any detractors he might have with consistent runs at No 3
The debate over whether he was the player required at first drop was rampant even when he was No 1 in the world. His detractors said he scored too slowly. His response has been to score consistently. Time and time and time again, marking his 50th T20I this week with his 15th fifty-plus score.
That 49-ball 82 – which does not seem too sluggish, does it? – went a long way to winning England the second T20 international, rallying the side from 54-4 to a total of 178-7.
Malan’s innings came three days after he was shunted down to No 7 and 24 hours after it was announced he had lost his full central contract and dropped to an incremental deal. Much like the sadly-injured Jonny Bairstow, Malan appears to flourish when he feels he has been slighted. “I feel like I’ve proved my point a hell of a lot before,” he said on Wednesday.
That’s the top three – now here’s where it gets interesting. Ben Stokes.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Michael Atherton discusses whether Ben Stokes should be a definite starter for England
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Michael Atherton discusses whether Ben Stokes should be a definite starter for England
On one hand, he is Ben Stokes, an all-action superhero who can win games with the bat, ball and in the field. He did not do it with the bat against Australia this week, which is why talk about his starting spot has garnered more than a few column inches, but his mind-bending six save in the field during the second game in Canberra and subsequent wicket of Mitch Marsh were key to England’s victory.
Stokes’ team-mate Moeen Ali said on Thursday he wanted the Test skipper in the XI “even if he doesn’t score runs” and you sense is the overwhelming feeling within the camp. Stokes is a player to be judged on presence and moments, not numbers, which is just as well considering he averages below 20 with the bat in T20 internationals and 37.25 with the ball.
The chat about Stokes potentially not playing is down to a combination of those stats; him making nine and seven in the first two games against Australia after going 19 months without a T20I appearance; and that England are blessed with middle-order batting options, many of whom bowl.
Liam Livingstone is closing in on an injury return
Harry Brook (the one that doesn’t bowl), Moeen and Liam Livingstone are likely to come in behind Stokes at five, six and seven respectively. Livingstone is yet to return from an ankle injury – he hopes to play against Pakistan on Monday – but if he is fit, he is surely in England’s best XI. You do not really overlook a man with a 42-ball hundred who can also bowl crucial off and leg-spin.
Omitting Stokes and pushing Brook, Moeen and Livingstone up one spot could be an option, leaving the in-form Sam Curran to slot in at No 7, but it is hard to see Stokes sitting on the sidelines, at least initially. Curran is probably vying with Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan for one place if we accept, and we probably should, that Mark Wood, Reece Topley and Adil Rashid are sure-fire picks.
Is Rashid’s form a concern?
Wood’s pace gives England X-factor; lofty left-armer Topley looks to have made himself indispensable after proving adept at the start and end of innings, and Rashid is world class, even if his current T20 international form is a tad concerning.
Adil Rashid has been below-par of late but surely England won’t leave him out?
The leg-spinner is averaging 50.50 and going at 8.91 runs an over in his last nine bowling, which spans England’s seven matches in Pakistan and first two in Australia (he did not bowl in the rain-ruined final game). In fact, across the opening two fixtures in Australia his economy rate was an eye-watering 11.28, with his seven overs taken for 79 runs and just one wicket coming in that time.
But much like with Stokes, you just cannot see England leaving out a player so crucial to their white-ball turnaround since 2015, especially with leg-spin such a crucial commodity in T20 cricket. An overall international T20I record of 82 scalps in 86 games at an average of 25.06 and an economy rate under eight shows Rashid’s calibre. He should play and he will play – but what about Curran?
The case for the left-armer’s inclusion has grown after he backed up a successful tour of Pakistan (seven wickets in six games at an economy rate below 7.50) with two excellent performances against Australia – his death bowling the highlight as he successfully defended 16 in the first T20 international and 22 in the second. Is he the antidote to the late-over woes that cost England so dear in the 2016 and 2021 editions of the T20 World Cup? Perhaps.
Sam Curran (right) has starred for England during the series wins in Pakistan and Australia
That had looked to be Jordan’s role but Curran’s Surrey team-mate has only just returned from a finger injury and was a little off in his sole appearance of the Australia series – his three overs going for 39 in total and his 17th over for 14 – which may have done him few favours.
Woakes, meanwhile, threw a spanner in the works by shredding Australia’s top order on Friday in the ultimately rain-thwarted final T20, taking advantage of the movement on offer to inflict golden ducks on Aaron Finch and Marsh with his first two balls and then banishing Glenn Maxwell later on.
If Stokes stays in the XI, Rashid’s figures do not become too worrisome and Livingstone proves his fitness, then we probably know 10 of England’s XI to face Afghanistan. Slot No 11 will come down to whether they want Woakes’ new-ball nous, Jordan’s experience at the death or a man in Curran who you could conceivably chuck the ball to at any stage of the innings.
The latter looks the frontrunner but with that one final warm-up against Pakistan, there is still time for things to change. What should not change is the fact after a sketchy summer, England’s white-ball side are back on track.
England vs Pakistan
October 17, 2022, 8:30am
Live on
England vs Afghanistan
October 22, 2022, 11:30am
Live on
What’s next?
England play their final T20 World Cup warm-up match against Pakistan in Brisbane on Monday, live on Sky Sports Cricket. Build-up begins at 8.30am, ahead of the first ball at 9am.
Buttler’s side will then travel to Perth for their World Cup opener against Afghanistan on Saturday, October 22. The match gets under way at midday, with coverage on Sky Sports Cricket kicking off at 11.30am.
The T20 World Cup starts this Sunday, with the opening-day fixtures seeing 2014 champions Sri Lanka up against Namibia (5am start, Sky Sports Cricket) before UAE battle Netherlands (9am start, Sky Sports Cricket).
Ireland and Scotland get their campaigns under way on Monday – Scotland meet two-time champions West Indies (5am start, Sky Sports Mix) with Ireland then facing Zimbabwe (9am start, Sky Sports Mix).
Watch every game from the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports between October 16 and November 13.
Source by www.skysports.com
